Railway ballast excavating chain



Aug. 9, 1955 H. J. PERAZZOLI RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed 001.. 5, 1949 l l I III Aug. 9, 1955 H. J. PERAZZOLI RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 1949 9,1955 H. J. PERAZZOLI RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1949 Aug. 9, 1955 H. J. PERAZZOLI RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001.. 3, 1949 H. J. PERAZZOLI 2,714,774

RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 a 02 my Aug. 9, 1955 H. J. PERAZZOLI RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed 001,. 3, 1949 I: I: I: I:

United States Patent 2,714,774 RAILWAY BALLAST EXCAVATING CHAIN Henry J. Perazzoli, Havertown, Pa. Application October3, 1949, Serial No. 119,289 3 Claims. or. 37-404 This invention relates to railway road bed machinery and more particularly to a device known as a cribber which is used for breaking up and partially removing the ballast between the ties.

When it is necessary to lay a new rail, the procedure is to remove one rail of the track at a time. Before the new rail section can be relaid, it is desirable to smooth off the top faces of the ties underneath the rail plates.- The power machine used in this smoothing operation is known as an adzer which has a rotary blade formed by cutting knives. Obviously if the ballast on either sideof the tie is higher than the point to which the tie is to be cut, the stones of the ballast are hit by the adzer blades with serious damage to the blades and danger to personnel. Therefore, in order to lower the ballast on either side of the ties to a point at which it is safe to use the adzer, it has formerly been the practice to loosen and remove the ballast manually by pick and shovel. In order to expedite this operation, a cribber was developed which comprised a wheel of large diameter adapted to loosen and remove the ballast between ties. Adisadvantage of this type of cribber was found to reside in the fact that the wheel excavated a deep hole in which water collected between and sometimes underneath the ties. Since it is the primary purpose of the ballast to permit free drainage of Water, the pockets formed by the wheel cribbers proved to be such a serious obstacle that the use of this type of machine has been curtailed or completely abandoned.

The present invention relates to a cribber which is adapted to loosen and remove the ballast from the ties of a railroad roadbed on a substantially horizontal plane and to a controlled depth.

A primary object therefore of the invention, is to provide a cribber or ballast extruder which is power driven, easy to operate, and which removes the ballast only to a predetermined and controllable depth.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a cribber an endless, power driven belt or chain having a plurality of lugs thereon which may be positioned between the ties of a roadbed to remove the ballast between the ties for a short distance on either side of the rail position.

.A still further object of the invention is to provide F a railway roadbed machine with a frame having a pair of wheels mounted at either end, which are adaptable to run on railroad tracks and in which one pair of wheels may be quickly detached from the frame and positioned at the opposite end thereof to serve as a counterweight.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction fora cribber having means for transversely retaining the cribber assembly on one rail during operation of the cribber.

Further objects will be apparent from tion and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a cribber constructed in accordance with the invention and assembled so that it may be moved along both rails of the railroad track;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the structure of Fig. l; v

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail of one end of the cribber with the detachable truck mounted on the frame to serve as a counterweight;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectives showing the end of the frame opposite the cribber head, and the means for adjusting the counterweight sub-frame;

the specifica- "ice Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the detachable truck supported on the sub-frame, as seen at 77 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a perspective of the detachable truck assembly; F Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail as seen at 9--9 of Fig. 10 is a perspective showing the auxiliary retaining wheels in operative position;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the cribber head;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section as seen at 12 -12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section as seen at 13-13' of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a perspective of one of the chain links;

Fig. 15 is a perspective showing a form of link which may be used in connection with the link of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the cribber head in an operating position.

My cribber comprises a framework which is mounted on two trucks having a pair of wheels on each truck. One truck is quickly detachable from the frame, and in operation is carried by an overhanging portion of theframe which extends beyond the fixed or non-detachable truck. Suitable means for adjusting the extent of this overhang is provided. The working head of the cribber comprises an endless chain or belt having links which carry various sizes and shapes of lugs adapted to loosen and remove the ballast. The lugs are readily detachable and the type and arrangement of the lugs on the chain depends in large measure on the nature of the ballast being removed. It has been found that where cinders are excessive, the ballast is extremely tight and hard to break up. In this event, more of the long breaking lugs are employed. Where however, the ballast is not tight, a greater number of the scraping blades may be added to the chain in order to more quickly remove the ballast from between the ties. The frame is provided with a power source which is preferably a gasoline engine and the chain is driven from the engine through suitable driving connections. Since the engine is mounted on the frame overhang, it serves to partially counterbalance the weight of the cribber head. Additional weight required for fully counterbalanc ing the head may be obtained through mounting the detachable truck on the overhang and adjusting the amount of overhang so that the desired balance may be achieved.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a preferred form of cribber comprises a frame assembly 20 consisting of two parallel main frame members 21 and 22 which are connected to each other at spaced intervals by a plurality of cross members 23, 24, 2'5, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30. When the cribber is mounted on the rails and 36 of a railroad track, the frame members 21 and 22 are of sufficient lengthto overhang the rails on either side. So that the cribber can be moved on both rails 35 and 36 or only on rail 36, the frame assembly 20 includes a fixed truck assembly 37 (the left-hand truck as seen in Figs. 2 and 3) which is permanently attached to frame members 21 and 22 by welding or in any other suitable manner. Truck 37 comprises a pair of supporting members 38 and 39 that are secured substantially at right angles to frame members 21 and 22 at a point near the center of gravity of the cribber when it is operating. Truck members 38 and 39 may be constructed in any desired manner, but I have shown a built-up welded box section fabricated from pairs of angles 38a, 38a and 39a, 39a (Fig. 3). Flanged wheels 40, 44) are journ'aled at either end of members 38 and 39 by means of axles 41 41 retained in journals &2, 42 by means of nuts 43, 43. Strength and rigidity for the truck 37 and the frame 20 are provided by radius rods 44 and 455 which connect member 38 to frame members 21 and 22 respectively.

Each end of truck 37 is provided with channels 46, 46' adjustably mounted across the ends of members 38 and positions on the frame a 39 by means of angle brackets 47, 47. Channels 46, 46 are slotted at 48, 48 (Fig. to adjustably anchor plates 49, 49 by means of bolts 50, 50. The construction shown in Fig. '10 is identical for either end of truck 37 so-that it is considered necessary to describe-the structure at only one end. Corresponding parts are designated with primed numbers. An arm 51 is pivotally supported by and between brackets 52, 52 on a bolt 53, and the brackets 52 are welded to plate 49, as ShOWn in the drawing. The opposite end of arm 51 carries a small flanged wheel 54 which is so positioned that it may engage the outside of rail 36 (as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3) to prevent the wheels 40, from slipping sideways off of the rail 36. When the cribber is being operated, the arm 51 is held in the lowered position (as shown in full lines in Fig. 10) by means of a retaining plate 55 which is clamped to ears 56, 56 on brackets 52, 52 by means of bolts 57, 57. When not in use, the wheel 54 and arm 51 are pivoted to a fully or partially raised position, and retained therein by means of the plate 55.

The detachable truck assembly 60 is secured to the opposite end of the frame assembly 20 when the cribber is not operating, but when it is being moved along rails 35 and 36. Truck 60 is fabricated from two pairs of short channel members 61, 61a and 62, 62a which carry a flanged wheel 63 and 64 at either end. Wheels 63 and 64 are mounted on axles 65 and 66 respectively, which are in turn retained in the channel members 61, 61a and 62, 62a by means of nuts 67, 67. The inner termini of channel members 61, 61a and 62, 62a are secured to wear plates 68 and 69 which are in turn suspended from a Tsection truss member 70 by means of hangers 71, 72 respectively. Wear plates 68 and 69 have overhanging flanges 73 and 74 respectively as shown in Fig. 8, and also are provided with side plates 75, 75 which are welded to the channel members and their associated wear plates. Both the side plates 75 and the wear plates 68 and 69 are drilled at 76 and 78 respectively, in order to enable the detachable truck 60 to be secured in a plurality of 70 are bifurcated to enclose wheels 63 and 64 and the truss is rigidly attached to the channels 61, 61a and 62, 62a at a point adjacent to the axles 65, 66.

It will thus be understood that the truck 60 is a unitary rigid member capable of supporting one end of the frame 20 when positioned as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and which may be removed therefrom when the cribber 1s 1n operation. In the one case, the truck 60 is secured to frame 20 by means of angle brackets 80, 80 which abut side plates 75, 75

retain the truck 60 in place. operated, pins 81, 81 are removed and the truck 60 is mounted on the opposite end of frame 20 by angle brackets 82, 82 (Figs. 5 and 6) and securely retained thereon by means of 82 by means of angles 84, 84. Since the movable truck 60 functions as a counterbalance for the frame assembly when the cribber is operating, it is desirable to provide suitable means for adjusting the overhang of the frame and the support for the detachable truck with respect to the cribber assembly.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the sub-frame 85 comprises a pair of side members 86 and 87 which are parallel to and outside of frame members 21 and 22. Members 86 and 87 are slidably supported by means of sleeves 8S and 89 which are rigidly mounted on members 38 and 39 of truck 37. Sleeve 89, as well as side member 87, is drilled at 87a and 89a so that the proper amount of overhang for the sub-frame 85 can be obtained. When When the cribber is being the frame is so adjusted, a lock pin 90 is inserted through sleeve 89 and frame member 87 to retain the frame 85 in place.

The outer end of frame 85 has a pair of cross members 91 and 92 which support brackets 82, 82. Additional support for the sub-frame 85 is provided by an angle ssembly 20. The ends of truss and through which pins 81, 81 are inserted to F lock pins 83, 83 retained in brackets all member 93 which is rigidly attached to the endmost cross member 30 of frame 20. Angle member 93' is slotted at 94, 94 for slidable support of the side members 86 and 87 of sub-frame 85.

Cribber head is supported at one end of frame assembly 20 by sloping cross members 24, 24 and 25, 25' which are secured to side plates 101 and 102 by bolts 103, 103 (as shown in Figs. 3 and 11). Shafts 104 and 105 for the cribber chain sprockets 106 and 107 are retained in side plates 101 and 102 by means of nuts 108, .108 and are provided with suitable grease fittings 109, 109. Shaft 105 is longitudinally adjustable in slots 110, 110 in a manner more fully to be described hereinafter. Shaft 104 carries a compound sprocket assembly 111 consisting of a cribber chain sprocket 106 and a driving sprocket 112, both of which are attached to hub 113 by means of cap screws 114, 114. Hub 113 is journaled on annular ball bearing assemblies 115, 116 which are provided with suitable dust guards 117, 117. Shaft 105 likewise carries a sprocket hub 118 journaled on ann ular ball bearing assemblies 119, 120 and provided with dust guards 121, 121; and the second cribber chain sprocket 107 is attached to the hub 118 by means of bolts 123.- Shaft 105 is capable of being moved in slots 110, 110 by means of adjusting screws 124, 124 mounted in threaded bosses 125, 125 on plates 101, 102. Screws 124 abut blocks 127, 127 slidable between bosses 128, 128 so that the sprocket assembly is longitudinally displaced in slots 110 to adjust the tension in cribber chain 130.-

The main drive shaft 131 for the cribber head is journaled in annular ball bearing assemblies 132,133 which are supported in bearing caps 134 and 135 (Fig. 12). Caps 134 and 135 are provided with suitable grease fittings 136 and 137, and are mounted on bearing plates 138, 139 by cap screws 140, 140. Posts 141, 142 are welded to plates 138, 139 which in turn are secured to side plates 101, 102 by cap screws 143, 143 which fit through slots 143a, 143a in the bearing plates. At their opposite ends, posts 141 and 142 are bolted to T-shaped guide plates 145 and 146 by cap screws 147, 147. Plates 145 and 146 are in turn adjustably attached to the side plates 101 and 102 by cap screws 148, 148 which fit through suitable slots 148a, 14811 in the guide plates 145, 146. Posts 141, 142 are longitudinally adjustable with respect to side plates 101 and 102 in order to provide the proper tension in driving chain 149 which connects sprockets 112 and sprocket 150 keyed to main drive shaft 131. A second sprocket 151 is also keyed to shaft 131 at its outer end and sprocket 151 is drivingly connected to sprocket 152 on jackshaft 153 by chain 154.

The cribber chain 130 is constructed from a series of link assemblies 156, 156, each one of which comprises a pair of link members 156a, 156a, the flanges 1561), 156b of which are bolted to rectangular link plates 156e, 156a by studs 156d and nuts 156a. The lateral spacing of link members 156a on each link plate 156a is varied to permit the members 156a on one plate 156c to overlap the members 156a on each adjacent link plate in order to close the gaps between the links when the chain 130 passes over sprockets 106, 107. Fig. 14 shows a narrow spacing for link members 156a, whereas Fig. 15 shows a wide spacing. A second thinner link plate 156f is positioned on the top of each link plate 1560 so that plate 156] extends longitudinally beyond the edge of its associated plate 1560 an amount suificient to overlap one adjacent plate 1560 (as shown in Fig. 11). The length of the individual plates 1560 and 156 is the same and is also so selected that the gap between plates 101 and 102 is completely enclosed. in the preferred form (as shown in Fig. 13) the length of plates 156C and 156] is equal to the transverse distance between the outside faces of plates 101 and 102. The lateral edges of. both link plates 1560 and 156 are tapered to extrude dirt from between .the link plates andthus to relieve longitudinal stress on the chain.

Each link assembly 156 is in addition provided with the proper ballast-engaging device which may be a pair of relatively short studs or lugs 157 (Fig. 14) or a single longer lug 158 (Fig. 13). In the case of the short lugs 157, the upper plate 156 is retained on the lower plate 156a by means of the lugs themselves. In the case of the longer single lug 158, the plate 156; is secured not only by the lug 158 but also by cap screws 159, 159.

If desired, the lugs 157 and 158 may be replaced with, or used in addition to, a blade 160 (Fig. 15) which is bolted to plate 1560 and plate 156 by cap screws 160a, 160a. It will be understood that the operator may employ any desired number, spacing and arrangement of short lugs 157, long lugs 158, or blades 160 on the periphery of the chain 130, in accordance with the particular ballast conditions encountered.

Fig. 13 shows the removable wear plates or guides 165 along the bottom of the cribber head. These wear plates are secured along the bottom edges of side plates 101 and 102 by means of cap screws 166, 166 and hangers 165a, 165a and may be readily replaced as needed. The side plates 101 and 102 are provided with convenient inspection covers 167, 167 respectively, and which are retained on the side plates by means of cap screws 169 mounted in slots 170 on the inspection covers. Covers 167, 167 are removed in order to adjust the cribber chain or the driving chain 149, as described above.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a pair of pillow blocks 175, 175 on cross members 26 and 27 journal jackshaft 153 which is adjustable by means of set screws 176 and 177 to provide proper tension in chain 154. A large sprocket 178 at one end of jackshaft 153 is driven from jackshaft 179 by means of chain 180 and sprocket 181. Shaft 179 is journaled on cross member 29 by means of adjustable pillow blocks 182 and 183. Shaft 179 is also provided with a multiple groove pulley 184 connected to the driving pulley 185 on motor 186 by belts 187, 187. The motor 186 is adjustably mounted on frame members 21 and 22 by means of angle brackets 188, 188 and suitable adjustment may be made by adjusting screws 189, 189. Cross member 28 carries an eye 190 with which the entire cribber may be hoisted from the rails 35 and 36 onto a suitable truck or railroad car.

In operation, the cribber assembly is placed onto rails 35 and 36 and rolled on both trucks until it is at the point where rail 35 has been removed from the roadbed and the cribbing operation is required. Truck 60 is then removed and installed on the sub-frame 85, as shown in Fig. 4. The engine 186 is started to drive the cribber chain in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 11 and 16. The operator controls the position of the cribber and the depth to which the ballast is removed, by means of handles 191 and 192 which are adjustably secured in sockets 193, 194 at the outer extremity of members 21 and 22. Normally the weight of the counterbalanced cribber head is on the order of 15-20 lbs. The engine 186 may be quickly stopped by switch 197 conveniently mounted on cross member 23. Fig. 16 illustrates how the cribber head removes the ballast 195 between the ties 196, even though the ballast is higher than the tops of the ties. I have found that removal of the ballast to a depth of approximately six to eight inches below the tops of the ties is entirely sufficient for the adzing operation and also permits the ballast to be loosened up and cleaned.

The use of a cribber constructed in accordance with the present invention greatly facilitates relaying of rails and avoids disturbing the ballast to any undesired depth that would create water pockets therein. The manipulation and operation of the ribber is extremely simple and the ability to counter-ballast the cribber head makes it very easy for two men to operate the cribber with a minimum of effort. The construction of the cribber chain is such that satisfactory operation is assured. The overhang of the links prevents dirt from entering between the cribber head plates and the ability to vary the size and type of ballast-engaging lugs permits the cribber to be utilized under a wide variety of ballast conditions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In railway roadbed machinery, a cribber assembly comprising a frame, a cribber head supported at one end of said frame, power means mounted on the frame for driving said cribber head, a fixed truck rigidly attached to the frame in spaced relation from the cribber head, a detachable truck adapted to be secured to the frame adjacent the cribber head to support the cribber head and frame in an elevated position when moving the cribber assembly along two parallel rails, a sub-frame adjustably mounted on the main frame to form an adjustable longitudinal extension thereof, and connecting means on the sub-frame for mounting the detachable truck thereon when operating the cribber assembly to remove ballast.

2. In railway roadbed machinery, a cribber assembly comprising a frame, a cribber head mounted at one end of said frame, a pair of side plates for said cribber head,

a pair of shafts mounted in opposite ends of said side plates, a sprocket journaled on each of said shafts, power means mounted on the frame, driving connections between said power means and one of said sprockets, a chain mounted on said sprockets and passing adjacent the side edges of said side plates, at least some of the links of said chain carrying a fiat rectangular link plate substantially spanning the lateral distance between the side plates, a second link plate longitudinally offset with respect to the first plate and adapted to overlap a portion of an adjacent first link plate, means including lugs secured to the link plates for loosening ballast, guide means arranged along the bottom edges of the side plates for bearing against the inner surface of the first link plates, and a fixed truck rigidly attached to the frame in spaced relation to the cribber head.

3. In railway roadbed machinery, a cribber assembly comprising a frame, a cribber head mounted at one end of said frame, a pair of side plates for said cribber head, a pair of shafts mounted in opposite ends of said side plates, a sprocket journaled on each of said shafts, power means mounted on the frame, driving connections between said power means and one of said sprockets, a chain mounted on said sprockets and passing adjacent the side edges of said side plates, at least some of the links of said chain carrying a flat rectangular link plate substantially spanning the lateral distance between the side plates, a second link plate longitudinally offset with respect to the first plate and adapted to overlap a portion of an adjacent first link plate, means including lugs secured to the link plates for loosening ballast, guide means arranged along the bottom edges of the side plates for bearing against the inner surface of the first link plates, and a fixed truck rigidly attached to the frame in spaced relation to the cribber head. said link plates being oppositely bevelled in their overlapping portions to exclude the entry of foreign matter between them.

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